Little Faith
by loveblindslogic
Summary: "Was she still even alive? I would quickly banish that thought to the back of my mind. Trying to keep the bile in my stomach, and my head from spinning. I also tried to keep the hatred for my ex husband at bay. I didn't want to see him, because if I did I would tear his face into two." REPOST.
1. Chapter 1

**I wasn't planning on posting again until I found something I felt I could stick with. Trust me, I tried countless times to fight this year or so long writers block and I couldnt beat it. I actually deleted this story from my documents, and came across it again. So please, I need feed back and I hope you enjoy. I originally wrote this when I was 18, so I fixed it up a little. Enjoy!**

xox

Chapter 1- Briella

 **Quote: A child's life is a piece of paper, that everyone leaves a mark.**

You never really understand something, until you become that person.

You can't judge a mother until you become one, you can't judge a cop until you've been one- you can't _imagine_ what someone is feeling while they're crying and begging for mercy.

You can't just _picture_ a tragedy.

Because a picture only shows you what you want to see. You never see what happened before it was taken, or five seconds afterwards. You just don't know until you're that person.

I was in a pretty good place in my life, even during the split between my husband and I. Juggling my work with at the LAPD and caring for my two beautiful daughters. I would never admit this out loud, but my new estranged partner in fighting crime made it slightly better. I shook my head remembering the countless cases his quirky brilliance shined a whole new light on the situation, and my life.

The last memory I had that was completely blissful was just at 8:30 am. I looked into my rearview mirror to see my two beautiful daughters I shared with my ex, Jacob Black. My oldest daughter was only five years old, she looked more like her father. Light brown skin, and dark curly hair, when she smiled her dark eyes shined delightfully. The only thing Briella inherited from me was her characteristics. My youngest daughter is three, sitting next to her sister in her carseat, Ariah looked more like me. Her brown and red colored hair held wavy curls, her light brown eyes, framed by paler skin.

The girls were separated in age by twenty eight months. Twenty-Three months of a difference of me only losing one of my girls.

At 8:35am I dropped Briella off at Kemp Elementary, she was really excited...I remember her, her pigtails bounced around as she was skipping into the building..it was fingerpaint day..

My voice kept trailing off as I gave my statement for the ninth time to the sixth officer and third FBI Agent. They kept asking me the same damn questions I would ask other parents who lost their children.

"What was she wearing?"

"How old is she?"

"Does she know her kidnapper?"

"Do you know her kidnapper?"

"Okay, well the first eight times we didn't get all the facts so we'll ask again instead of trying to find your

daughter who has been kidnapped by a trafficker."

I stood in the corner of the precinct, feeling trapped. No one sat in their seats, afraid not to do anything, but not knowing what to do. The room felt like it was about to close on top of me, and I wish it would do it now rather than later.

"Bella?" I whirled around at the sound of my name. The only voice I've been glad to hear all damn day. Edward Cullen was fastly approaching me, with a look of concern and worry in his eyes. The man stood before me with all his 6'2 grace, his suit was freshly pressed as he always looked like he was going to a ball.

"What's the matter, what's going on?" His eyes traced around the room and then back to me, sensing the distress I'm in he pulled me away into an interrogation room that was shut down for the day. His hands dropped from my arms, and waited patiently at his sides. His green smoldering eyes waited for me to talk.

I felt my lips pull downward, my face clenching together as the pain became too much that I crouched to the ground. I sucked in a huge breath of air before exhaling the words out, hoping he'd understand.

"Briella's been kidnapped." The words coming out my mouth didn't make it any easier. I didn't look up to see the reaction on his face.

I was just grateful because he didn't swoop down and hug me like I needed a hug. Because a hug isn't what I needed, I need my daughter.

I finished gasping for air, before coming back up to the surface. Edward took his hand and wiped away the waterfall I just shedded.

"We're going to find her." The way the words came out of his mouth made it comforting. Even though I knew better, I felt that false hope was actually better than the truth. At this moment I let him pull me in for a hug. I'm more than sure my makeup stained cheeks ruined his expensive designer.

After a couple seconds Edward opened the door to the interrogation room, letting me step out first. The eyes of everyone who existed in this room landed on me.

I was never anything less than cool, calm, collected and never phased. However, today was a different day. My hair was a sweaty mess as it clung to my forehead, my eyes were swollen and somehow I lost an earring.

If anything, I was just trying to keep it well enough together so Ariah wouldn't detect my distress when I go to pick her up from Nana house. Every FBI Agent trailed in and out of the conference room, lugging files and machines. Peeking over their shoulder to see if I was looking.

And I was.

They knew something they weren't telling me, they weren't going to tell me.

The chief carefully approached Edward and I, whom was looming over my shoulder. He stood in front of me for a minute, instantly irritating me.

Why in the hell did everybody insist on standing?

"What is it?" I snapped. Wanting more than anything is just for some answers.

"Go home, Bella." The Chief held a firm look on his face, which filled me with shock.

"Go home?" I stared. Angered. "I'm not going home without my child." At this point I began to see spots.

"You can't be of help here. We want to be 100% focused. And we can't do that with you standing here with that look on your face." The way the Chief sounded it was like he was accusing me of a crime. A crime of being a concerned mother.

However, Edward Cullen pulled me by the arm, trying to escort me away. Which I quickly detangled myself from his grasp. "I dont need any damn help." I looked back at the Chief.

"Please, I'm more helpful here than I am just sitting at home." The Chief's resolve broke at once, promising to let me stay but I had to stay at my desk or in the lobby.

Edward sat with me the entire time, I thought of a hundred other things he would probably be doing right now. However, fifty of those things would be harassing me. Flicking pencils at my hair, playing with my handcuffs, or making inappropriate jokes about putting me in handcuffs.

I also thought about Briella, and a million different things she could be going through at this moment. _Was she still even alive?_ I would quickly banish that thought to the back of my mind. Trying to keep the bile in my stomach, and my head from spinning.

I also tried to keep the hatred for my ex husband at bay. I didn't want to see him, because if I did I would tear his face into two.

He was always late. Always putting everything else above his family. We all came last in Jacob's book. He couldn't even pick his daughter up from school on time. And the fact by the time he _did_ show up at the school it was 4:30. School ended at 3:00.

He didn't even think to call me until 4:45. My baby was missing for over an hour and I had no idea. This has happened countless times before, Jacob forgetting to pick up Briella or Ariah. It happened so many times it was almost a routine.

But not today.

My daughter got in a cop car with a man, thinking he was sent from me.

It was getting later, and later. The clock continued to keep ticking. How could the time keep going?

It can't keep going.

Edward rested a palm on my leg once it was eight o'clock. I looked up, forgetting he was there.

"Ariah, is usually picked up from her grandmother's house at this time, yes?" I looked down at my feet, anxiety welling up inside of me. I couldn't do anything but shake my head.

Edward picked himself up and stretched, reaching out for my hand. "I'll drive you to go pick up your daughter."

As soon as I was about to protest to the idea, he interrupted me. "The least I can do is drive you, Bella." He said.

I pressed my lips together, but otherwise, I agreed.

As soon as we pulled up to Ariah's grandmother's house. flung the door open, her eyes full of worry and fear. I made a call to her earlier about Briella and not to let Ariah know.

Ariah darted out of the house, down the stairs and flung herself into Edward's torso once she seen him standing in the driveway.

The one thing about Edward was that he hated children. Last year, when he found out I had not one, but two children he was repulsed. However, Briella and Ariah took to him right away, and he will never admit it but he feels the same way about them.

Edward struggled to remove Ariah from his waistline while I went to talk to Jacob's mother. I loved her like my own mother, despite the separation of her son and I. I reached out to grab her hand.

"Keep your head up dear, I know you. You seem to always find a way." Mrs Black's message could be interpreted either way.

I'll find my daughter, or I'll get through the grief somehow.

 **xox**

Edward dropped Ariah and I off at our apartment. "Would you like me to stay?" He asked.

I held Ariah's hand as we stood in the middle of the street.

"It's okay, Edward. We'll be fine." With an uncertain nod of his head, he watched me and my youngest daughter walk into the apartment before he drove away.

Ariah rounded the corner, skipping off to her room as I entered the kitchen. Not really feeling like cooking but I needed to keep things as normal as possible.

A few moments later, her bare feet padded back across the floor, entering the kitchen. She stood there, slightly confused. "Mommy, where is Briella?" I clinched the bag of spinach in my hand, trying to keep a calm and reassuring voice.

"Baby, your sister is not coming home tonight." I placed the spinach in the skillet, daring not to look Ariah in the eye. I could tell she was still standing behind me.

"Is she with Daddy?" She asked.

I sighed.

"Baby, how about go draw mommy a picture, until dinner is ready."

I made grilled chicken and spinach, I tried to keep the dinners light and healthy since my girls never went to bed at average bedtimes. Most little children are put to sleep by seven, the lastest is eight. But with my work schedule I barely pick the girls up from their grandmothers house by eight thirty.

I cut up Ariah's chicken as usual and forced her to eat her spinach. If she doesn't bathe at grandma house then I would bathe her here, and then put her to bed.

I laid in bed freshly showered, one that I've needed all day. I couldn't sleep, I wasn't even about to trick myself into sleeping. I wasn't going to sleep again until my daughter came home. The ceiling turned out to be great company as I listened to the crickets as my body got the best of me.

I was slowly fading into a light sleep, one I so desperately needed as well. For a split second, I felt nothing at all. No pain, tears or thoughts of bloodshed and hatred. I didn't know who I was or what I had.

The phone rang.

The phone rang and it sent my body into a high. I reached across the bed and picked it off the receiver.

"Swan." I stared off into the dark.

"Hello, Isabella." The breath in my throat caught, as I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the caller ID.

"Who is this?" I said. Getting annoyed.

"I see you, Isabella Swan." My body became rigid. I looked around my room, sitting up in my bed on my knees checking the time on the clock.

"Who are you? What do you want?" I asked. Not sure what to do, I grabbed my cell phone and dialed the precinct.

"First, I would put the phone down. And check on the daughter you have left." The line went dead. My heart began to pound, as I hopped out of bed. I felt like I couldn't get to Ariah's room fast enough, I felt the lump in my throat burn.

I swung the door to her room open, flipping on the light. I sighed with relief as I ran over to her bed and scooped her up into my arms.

"Come on, baby. We have to go. We gotta go." I placed the blanket around her body, holding her into place.

XOX

 **If I have enough feedback, Ill post again. But for some reason it's hard to post if I'm not sure if people like it or not [:.**


	2. Chapter 2

I'm currently stuffing down a five dollar bag of Lindor's white chocolate thinking how I'll make it through my two-day water fast starting tomorrow.

Quote: Scars tell you where you once have been. But they dont tell you where you can go.

"He's watching me, he's watching my daughter. He watched us for who knows how long?" I seethed, pacing back in forth in my shorts and an oversized grey t-shirt. I stood in front of the FBI Agents, who looked at me with concern, and back at each other.

"Mrs. Swan, have you ever noticed anyone watching you?" The man with an extraordinary bald white head asked.

I had to think about it.

I'm a homicide detective, my job _is_ to notice a crime. I'm trained to notice things most people would never see.

I thought about every person I've ever seen around my home. The mailman, who always held a nice smile. The man who led a quiet life across the street from me, and the guy who ran four blocks every morning except on saturdays.

Those usually warm, smiling faces formed a sneer in my head, their faces turning dark and their eyes even darker. I imagined them turning into cold blood monsters who snatched children from school. At that moment I became paranoid of everyone around me.

I looked at the three faces who were waiting for an answer.

But I didn't have one to give. Nothing seemed out of place, not one car, not one face not one neighbor.

"I don't know..I mean no." It was getting harder to breathe as the never-ending thought screamed in the back of my head.

How could I have not seen this coming? I failed at being a mother, and I failed at doing my job.

That moment Jacob entered through the precinct doors, guilt consuming his features. A dark coffee stain ran down his button-down shirt.

His attention zoned in on me.

"Bella, are you okay? Where is Ariah?" He tried to wrap his arms around me. I didn't have any fight left in me. So I let him.

"Ariah is sleeping. She thinks we have roaches." I shook with laughter, before beginning to cry.

I couldn't cry though, because crying solves nothing.

I looked over Jacob's shoulder to see the three FBI's Agents coming back over. I pulled away from this needed embrace, wiping the tears off of my face.

"Mrs Swan Mr Black, we would like to see you inside the conference room."

The blonde woman with the too big pants spoke, waiting to escort us to a room that was only across the hall.

My head began to drum with pain, as I walked in front of Jacob, barefoot and practically naked. I walked into the conference room, buzzing with people and computers hooked into machines that hooked into more computers.

Nobody looked up from their screen unless it was to look at another screen. The blonde woman named Tiffany Grey pointed at a chair I assumed she wanted me to sit in.

I cautiously moved to the black chair, plopping myself down. I sighed, my heart racing, I squeezed my fingers….. off, on, like I was regulating my heart.

"The man who kidnapped your daughter is confirmed to be someone we've been looking for, for a very long time now." The woman spoke long and slow. As if my brain wasn't going to compute what she was saying.

"He watches his victims for at least two months, waiting for a perfect time to take a child." She continued. I flinched internally, not wanting her to stop.

"The call you received tonight is the first call out of three. We have a period of two weeks to receive a child back before he sales them." The woman kept her tone firm, and soft.

However, neither was about to keep the rage I felt inside down.

"Sale them? He's selling children and you haven't caught him yet?" My voice became deep and throaty. I had to cover my mouth with my hand to keep down a scream.

"When is the next time he's going to call? I heard Jacob's voice behind me. I forgot he was even there.

I had to pull it together.

"What else is he going to do?" I asked. If he's doing phone calls, he's going to drop other hints. I needed to know everything.

The woman acted like she didn't want to tell me, which pissed me off.

"Please don't act like I'm not strong enough to handle this. I am. I need to find my daughter, if I have to place all other emotions on the side, I will." I sighed. Trying to stay calm, almost professional.

"He'll send four video links by email. He holds auctions to get the highest bidder."

The thought of someone trying to buy my child, to only do only God knows what is sickening.

I wanted nothing more than to put a bullet through his skull than in this very moment.

"What comes first, the next call or video?" Jacob asked, desperation laced his voice.

There was a moment of silence before the woman answered. "A video."

My spine began to grow cold, goose bumps running through my skin.

"How many kids has he taken?"

The entire room went silent, the constant clicking subsided for a response to my answer.

"As far as we know, over sixty-five."

I felt the piece of chicken I stole from Ariah's dinner plate boil inside of me.

"How many kids were you able to save?" The silence grew quieter. My heart began to race, spinning my head along with it.

"How many?" I practically screamed.

"We..we found one." She said.

Just one? I thought of each scenario that would cause him to slip up on just one child.

No.

Not slip up, but to let her go.

"Why? I asked.

The woman looked puzzled by my question.

"Why, what?" She stated.

"Why only one? What was wrong with her?" My nails dug into my skin.

"She had epilepsy." The blond woman shifted nervously. I could tell it was hard for her speaking to parents, it was even harder if the parent had criminal experience.

By this time, I couldn't sit in the conference room anymore. The only room I desperately wanted to enter since yesterday afternoon and I was instantly repulsed.

I stood up from the chair, repelling myself out of the room, and into a trash can to empty my stomach.

I felt a pair of hands on my back, trying to sooth me, but they did the exact opposite.

I flung myself up from the trash can, pushing his hands off of me.

"This is your fault!" I screamed. Hot tears and vomit covered my face.

Jacob held up his hands in defense. "Bella, this isn't my fault." He tried to stay calm.

I knew it wasn't his fault. Rationally it wasn't. If the man had been watching us, both of our daughters would have been taken anyways. Sooner or later. But it didn't matter, I needed someone to blame.

"Yes the hell it is!" I screamed.

"If you would have just showed up, just showed the hell up on time. Just for once! This wouldn't have happened." I cried.

Jacob's face turned into pain. "She's my daughter, too! You don't think I have not beat myself up about it." Nothing he could say would have stopped me from charging at him, with full force. I leaped onto him, taking my fist and pound it into his face and chest.

A group of officers came to break it up, pulling me off of Jacob. The man kept me off of my feet, as I desperately tried to get back to the ground.

"Get the hell off of me." I fought myself down. Elbowing the man out of my way.

The Chief stalked angrily towards me, pulling me into another direction.

"Bella, I'll drive you to Edward's house."

"Don't take her there!" An angry Jacob stalked back around the corner, his lip bleeding.

Jacob hated the thought of Edward the moment Edward bullied his way into my life.

I remember him constantly being suspicious of the man, I thought it was jealousy. And later on I confirmed it.

Even after committing domestic abuse against my ex-husband I was ready to do it again.

"I'll go wherever the hell I want to go." I spat.

The Chief stepped in to defuse the situation.

"Your house is probably being watched too, Jacob. If the girls go there often."

I rolled my eyes, thinking of how if the girls ever saw him it was probably passing by at the precinct, or him _eventually_ taking them to Nana house.

"I'll go get Ari." I slipped away from the guys, heading to the lobby area where she quickly fell back to sleep. I hated breaking her slumber because it only made her unhappy the next day.

I bent down to unfold her from the covers, gently tapping her.

Her face frowned up when I decided to just hold her. "Mommy..you stink.." She whispered.

I shook my head, rolling my eyes as I remember having to change her dirty diapers like three years ago.

The Chief dropped me and Ariah off at Edward's pinthouse, making sure we was inside and the area was clear. It was about 6:35 am, but the lights were still on all over. I sighed. Edward was a playboy with an endless rotation of women. It amazes me how he hadn't caught an STD yet. I knocked on the door at the first floor, trying to balance my daughter in my hand.

A woman with a short blond hair answered the door, sporting some black bikini that only covered her nipples.

I guess she took one look at me and instantly disapproved at the child in my hand and mystery stains on my clothes with the tangles in my hair.

I rolled my eyes, I could look better than her any day but not this one.

"Where's Edward?" I asked.

She looked me up and down for the fifth time.

"Who's askin?" She said, her New Jersey accent giving her away. I rolled my eyes remembering Edward said he loved all kinds of women, from all types of places and all kinds of races.

"Who's at the door?" I heard Edward's faint English accent from somewhere inside the flat.

"Some woman and her kid." She said.

In a few moments, Edward pushed the tourist out of the way and looked at me. "Bella?" He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the home.

"She's covered in vomit." The woman said, disgusted.

"Elliot, be a dear and go make up a guest room." The woman's eyes widen with shock, but she reluctantly did what he asked.

However, even when one naked woman left the room, another appeared. "Daddy, are you going to come back to the party?" I cringed at her sickly sweet porno voice.

Edward dismissed her as well so he could speak to me.

"What happened?" He whispered, eyeing the child in my arms.

"I need to put her down first." I said.

A few moments later Elliot returned, her voice sound bored. "The guest room is fine."

Edward took Ariah from my arms, giving them a break as he followed Elliot into the back.

I sighed, pulling the messy t-shirt off and throwing it into the trash inside of his kitchen. I rummaged around for my favorite tequila, pouring it into a glass cup, almost spilling it over.

Edward came back around the corner, Elliot trailing him, but turning the other corner outside where the other women went back to.

"My, you lost your clothes pretty fast." He said, eyeing me like I wasn't the most stressed out women in the world.

"He's been watching me, Edward. And these lame brain ass FBI agents hasn't have a clue where to start."

I began to start the water works again.  
"They can't find him." I sniffed.

I took vows on not breaking the law. I became a cop, a cop that speaks for the dead because I hated people who broke the law.

I loved my daughter more.

I would lay down my life for both of my girls. And I wasn't going to let Ari experience losing someone she's too close to.

My mind was swarming with thoughts as I turned to Edward, eyeing his posture.

"I need a favor." I stated.

The crooked smile splattered on his face, a hint of devil in his eye.

"Anything, my dear."

Anything.

Xox

Please review, thank yaaaa.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Always be careful of what you put out into the universe.

xox

I love Edward.

But in the beginning, I hated him and his annoying ways.

I also knew from the very beginning Edward was involved in things that weren't legal. He had connections that nobody knew, everyone was deathly afraid of him and he always held a mystery.

I hated mysteries, I wanted to solve every mystery I've come across, and his entire persona the biggest one I've seen.

I don't know why, but I trust him. I trust him with my life as he trust me with his.

So we're on the need to know bases, swearing to never lie.

Asking Edward for this favor felt like dancing with the devil, but I'd lay with one if that meant I'd get my daughter back.

/

"And he only holds the children two weeks at a time." I finished catching Edward up. I sat on top of the bar, pouring another shot of whiskey into my tequila stained cup. Edward stood on the other side of the bar, trying to come to terms to everything I just said.

"I'll need to be there to witness the auction." His voice was hard, as he pulled out his iPhone and placed it up to his ear.

"What are you doing?" I asked. Eyeing his rigid form.

"Making a few calls." He said while eyeing my mess of a self.

"I'll have someone bring your clothes for tomorrow." Edward continued, coming up to me and landing a kiss on my forehead. "For now, just shower, cuddling your other child. Good night, darling." Edward finished, rounding off and heading up towards the elevator. Disappearing out of site.

I tilted my head in confusion. I hated how he could just leave, and wouldn't say a thing. I guess his mind starts racing and everything else he blocks out. That's at least what I tell myself.

I looked around his less than homey flat, looked more like a club than a place to live.

I placed myself back on my feet and headed to the guest room he put my daughter in.

Just like his living room, the guest room looked more like a club as well. The floor was a mix of black marble and granite. The furniture was a freshly painted dark wood and the lights were dim above our heads.

The round bed my daughter laid in was made up with freshly black sheets and the pillows were grey fur. I rolled my eyes at Edwards taste of the finer of the finest things.

I found the bathroom which looked as though it was made of steel and slipped off my shorts and bra, turning on the water as hot as I could stand it.

I brushed the tangles out of my hair, trying to pull myself together.

I just wanted my daughter back.

The next morning Ariah didn't wake up until 10 am, and the only thing that did bring her out of her sleep was the smell of pancakes and bacon. She popped up from the covers, confused as to where she was.

"We're at Edward's house, baby." I stretched beside her. Pretending as though I just woke up, too.

Ari climbed out of bed, following the smell of her favorite food, so I followed behind her.

"Good morning, ladies." Edward was cheffing it up, his kitchen covered in ingredients.

"Goodmorning." Baby Ariah said, trying to peer over the island that she was way too little to even reach.

I placed her in a chair next to mine, Edward placed a hot plate in front of both of us. A look of accomplishment splattered on his face.

My baby took her fork and began to eat right away, however for me, I couldn't even think of eating.

I guess Edward could see the look on my face, as he nudges the plate closer to me.

"Eat something, Bella." He said, giving me his " _scary"_ look that worked on everyone, but me.

He placed a glass of water by the table, that I happily accepted.

I looked over at the tangled mess of hair poohbear had going on, I placed my hand in to try and straighten it with no success.

"Bella, I have some people I would like you to meet today," Edward said.

I looked up, partly curious.

/

Later on that day a woman came by with clothing for Ariah and I so I could finally change out of his t-shirt that he enjoyed me wearing. However, the outfit she brought was probably just as long as his shirt.

I wrapped my hair in a bun on top of my head and found a good cartoon for Ari to enjoy while I spoke with Edward and his colleagues.

Coming back out into the living room of his penthouse shocked me to see a man, no older than 22 or 23. "Who is he?" I asked. Slightly disappointed by the lack of help this man would bring.

Edward showcased him off.

Like he was proud. "This is a hacker. He'll be getting into the auction."

The auction was carefully organized, not just any outsider could get into the chat. You had to be invited and invited twice. The man sweated with anticipation standing next to Edward, he shrunk in fear under his gaze.

"Is this legal?" I asked.

Edward Cullen grinned at me. "Does it matter, Detective?"

He already knew the answer, which is why he asked.

"You look marvelous in that dress by the way." Edward's eyes roamed my body, causing me to roll my eyes in distaste.

"So basically, you're going to have him to buy my daughter back for me?" I said, disgusted.

Edward's face curled in confusion. "No, Detective. We're going to keep tabs on the auction and the people in it. See if anyone slips up, and we find them. Get their invitation records, and well Mr Slock here, he'll figure out the rest."

Even though it was 12 pm Edward already had a shot of rum to his lips.

"I have to go to the precinct at 2 pm, for them to give me back my phone," I whispered. Remembering I left my iPhone there for them to bug in case he had any kind of malware on my device.

For the remaining time, I watched the guy go back and forth inside of Edward's penthouse, putting his laptops together. Each one held a special purpose that I wouldn't understand, he even hooked one up to a printer somehow. I also watched Edward from the corner of my eye, he was watching me too.

"Stop staring." I stated, for maybe the 100th time since I've known him.

He was always looking at me, like he could read my mind.

" _ **What the hell are you lookin at?" I turned to look at the man who was standing over me while I was getting witnesses statements.**_

 _ **It was hard enough to even get people to talk without threatening them, I didn't need someone standing over my shoulder while I do it.**_

" _ **You're a detective?" The man asked me. He rocked onto his toes and back to his heels like he was kind of excited.**_

 _ **I turned around, my notebook still in hand. I clicked the end of my pen on top of the paper. "Yeah," I said. "Can you tell me what happened here?" I looked up at that tall man, squinting my eyes in disapproval.**_

 _ **The man laughed, looking around the club. "Obviously, a murder has taken place. What else, detective?"**_

 _ **His light-hearted demeanor pissed me off. "Is there something funny, uh…?" I waited for him to state his name.**_

" _ **Edward Cullen." The way he said his name was like he thought he was a prize.**_

 _ **And the worst part about it was I have heard of him before, and people did talk about the infamous Edward Cullen like he was a prize. The man is known to own several clubs and bars, he has even started careers and ended them. However, I was not about to swoon over him. His cocky attitude was something I was interested in during high school. Now, it was just flat out annoying.**_

" _ **Your name, detective?" He said, leaning into his pose like this was a meeting event and not someone dead in the middle of the dance floor.**_

" _ **You got it right the first time." I smiled. "Detective." I pointed around my head in a circular motion.**_

" _ **This is your place, I want access to your books. And then I need you to step back." Edward's face continued into confusion, however he did step back.**_

 _ **I felt his eyes burning on the back of my scalp. I turned around to face the man once more.**_

" _ **Stop staring."**_

Edward drove me everywhere I needed to go, all the time. He hated my driving, I drove too slow, or I drove too fast. It was always something with him.

I had to take Ari to her Nana house. I went back to the apartment to grab some clothes I was comfortable wearing. I peeked inside of Brielle and Ariah's room. Bri's room hadn't been touched but Ari's bed was still a mess from the way we left last night. Brielle's favorite bunny laid in her bed, it actually looked lonely, so I took him with me.

Coming back out to the car where Edward was waiting he spotted the bunny in my hand.

"Planning on taking a nap? He joked.

"This is Brielle's," I replied simply. I could see the light in Edward's eyes burn out, and I felt responsible for killing it. I pointed down to the outfit I was wearing.

"And I needed clothes because your definition and my definition of clothes vary greatly." I smacked his shoulder, shaking my head.

We both walked into the precinct, which was still buzzing.

"Detective Swan. We found the vehicle that the man took Brielle in." My heart sank and rose all at the same time.

"Where?" I asked, following the officer who was leaving to go into the field. I had to move at a jog to keep up with him.

"Eight miles from Kemp Elementary school." He said, still moving to his assigned cop car. "We're meeting everyone at the scene." The officer stated.

xox

Once we pulled up to the scene, there was the cop car. Sitting outside of the gas station, I could hear my heart in my ears as I jumped out of the car and over to the scene. "What is she doing here?" I could hear someone whisper in the background.

But that was the least of my concerns. I just needed to get-

I felt an arm hold me back, pulling and snapping me from my train of thought. "Bella, no." The same stupid FBI Agent kept getting in my damn way.

"Let me go." I snapped. Ready to fire at anyone who would stand in the way of me finding my daughter.

"We got this, go home." He spat. I looked him in the eye.

"Please, let me look. Two minutes. I could help, you never know." I clung onto his arms, pleading with all I could.

The man reluctantly let go of me so I could surpass to the seemingly normal cop car. "Give me some gloves," I demanded to anyone who was listening.

Within a couple seconds, my hands were gloved and I popped open the back seat, the last place Brielle was seen.

Her book bag was sprawled across the back seat.

I had to swallow down all the feelings I had.

"Did we get a picture of this?" I asked. My voice void of emotion.

The gate separating the front and back of the cop car was a little loose. My attention zoned back to the bookbag.

"Is taking anything apart of his MO?" I asked the FBI Agent who was watching me carefully.

"Not usually. However, he does not leave evidence either."

I looked around the cop car one more, as the forensics dust the steering wheel, I spot a small piece of hair lodged between the bars.

Something inside of me sparked. "Give me some of that." The lady forensic team which I admired handed me the duster kit, I carefully wiped around the railings that revealed unusable, but there, fingerprints.

"These are Brielle's prints." I cried.

"How can you tell?" Someone said behind me.

"She's my daughter, I know it." I looked around the cop car, leaning deeper inside.

"Get me a baggy," I called out. Once again the forensic lady team was there to aid me as I bag the less than an inch of hair I found lodged in the railing.

"Is there anything missing from her bag?" Tiffany crouched down, shielding the sun from her face.

I grabbed Bri's pink book bag and went through the insides of it.

Her lunch box was stuffed inside, her crayons, two folders, and the painting she was excited about.

I pulled out the painting, unfolding the colorful paper.

My oldest baby painted a beautiful flower and named it Bella on the bottom of it. My chest felt as if it was about to split open, staring down at the simple picture, the simple book bag.

How could her life had gone from being so, simple. To this?

I reached deeper inside the bag, and pulled out her unicorn wallet. At first, I wasn't going to open it. I only gave her two to three dollars at a time.

There is no reason to rob a seven year old girl. I opened it up anyways.

The picture of our family, me, Bri, Ari and Jacob was torn. I held the picture up between my fingers.

"I'm missing."


End file.
